To celebrate the 2022 Tour de France, French heritage brand Opinel will launch two limited-edition No.08 Folding Knives on June 13.
Opinel collaborated with Matthieu Lifschitz, the art director for 200 Magazine, on the handle graphics, highlighting the Tour’s classic emblematic motives.
Les Maillots pays tribute to the iconic jersey colors worn by Tour race leaders. Using sublimation printing, the Hornbeam wooden handle has a yellow band at the bottom representing the race leader’s yellow jersey, a green band in the middle to represent the green jersey worn by the best sprinter and red polka dots at the top of the handle to celebrate the polka dot jersey given to the best climber. Each knife is gift boxed with an official Tour de France sticker.
Landmarks tells the story of the Tour de France through iconic landmarks and symbols of the race. The tower atop Mont Ventoux—one of the Tour’s most grueling climbs—sits at the bottom of the Beechwood handle. An image of the Arc de Triomphe in Paris, where the race finishes, is included at the top of the handle. Additional graphics symbolizing the elements of water, rain and mist celebrate race conditions. The graphics were pad printed, and a yellow leather lanyard pays tribute to the Tour’s primary color. Each knife is packaged in a kraft paper sleeve with an official Tour de France sticker.
Like all Opinel No. 8 Folding Knives, these special edition releases are made in France with Sandvik 12C27M stainless steel blades and the company’s patented Virobloc safety ring. While the graphics are exclusive to this year’s race, the knives stay true to the company’s iconic designs that date back to 1890.
This year’s Tour will pass through the company’s headquarters in Saint-Jean-de-Maurienne on June 13. and through its roundabout as part of Stage 11.
